Category Archives: Costa Rican Holidays

This date is not just a celebration for the people of Costa Rica, but for all of Central America. Central America (Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica) won its independence from Spain when representatives of the remaining provinces found out that Mexico and other South American territories had achieved their sovereignty and decided to fight.

The Torch of Liberty is a symbol of independence for Central American people. The torch is lit and taken on a multi-national treck from the capital of Guatemala to Cartago, Costa Rica, totaling 1,475 kilometers (917 miles). The torch is carried by highly-academic and physically-fit students, that belong to both private and public high schools. In a fifty-seven year old tradition, others accompany the runners, following along on bicycles, motorcycles and in cars.

With the arrival of the Torch of Liberty to Costa Rica on September 13, on the 14th we celebrate the Lanterns Parade at 6pm in schools and central parks of each city. This tradition began in Guatemala when the townspeople met in the square in front of the City Hall and shouted in one voice, “Long Live the Fatherland,” “Long Live Liberty.” The lanterns are designed by schoolchildren, decorated with patriotic symbols like ox carts, purple orchids, traditional colonial houses and torches, and some are made of recycled materials.

The best celebration is the “September 15th Parade.” On this day in the morning, students and citizens join in a civic act to sing the Costa Rican national anthem and the Independence Day song. In each town you can participate in a variety of cultural activities as well as the parade. Middle school and high school bands adorn the streets in their colorful and patriotic costumes, and jubilant spectators watch with excitement.

That’s how we celebrate the liberty, peace, and sovereignty of Costa Rica!

The little ones in the house are very happy, anxiously awaiting a special date, September 9, because it’s the celebration of little boys and little girls in Costa Rica. Likewise, many adults with their inner child alive and well also like to celebrate this day.

On this special day, centers of education prepare an incredible day of fun for the little ones. Cultural and recreational activities are organized so that the kids can show off and have fun, dancing, laughing, playing games and smiling. And do you know what is the best part of this day? Yes, the sweets! The icecreams, bags of treats cake and best of all, presents!

With a day like this full of candies and being spoiled, wouldn’t you like to be a kid your whole life? Well I would! And clearly if you check your Facebook these days, you’ll see a ton of pictures of teenagers that say to each other, “We should’ve stayed small forever! We were such little angels.”

The important thing is to remember on this day our childhood and to fight for the rights of children in Costa Rica so that they will live and grow in a peaceful environment, with love around them, being educated and having the freedom that they deserve.

We can all agree that one day a year is not enough to express the love we have for our moms. And no gift that we choose can be great enough to perfectly honor the fact that our moms brought us into the world and have loved us for our entire lives.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we are forever indebted to our mothers. That’s why every August 15th in Costa Rica we ask ourselves, and now what can I give my mom? We make a long list in our minds of possibilities on the market, which bombards us with options of different products that would obligate us to set aside a big chunk of our paycheck to finance the endeavor. Which is the best gift: perfume, a blouse, a purse, an electronic or maybe a massage?

Let’s stop for a moment and analyze the situation. They dedicate their lives to see us grow up and be happy, without ever needing to go to a store and buy “love” to give us. The best Mother’s Day gift is all of the love, respect, understanding and dedication that we can shower on them. A few more days of the year should be dedicated to recognize the value of our moms, but the best thing would be to celebrate our moms each of the 365 days of the year…just because they deserve it.